Since the late 1800's photographers have taken multiple overlapping photos and combined (“stitched”) them into panoramic images. However, unless special care is taken to rotate the camera around the “no parallax point” of the camera between taking the necessary photographs, there will be parallax errors that make it impossible to truly match the different overlapping photos. These problems are well documented in the prior art (see, e.g., Juergen Gulbins, Digital Photography from the Ground Up, Rocky Nook, 2008).
Numerous devices, known as “panoramic heads,” have been constructed and several are for sale that are designed to place the camera in and rotate the camera about the “no parallax point” and eliminate the parallax problem (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 5,589,903 to Speggiorin). These devices perform positioning of cameras and other optical devices in a relatively complex manner by providing an articulated joint adjustable in 2-dimensions for each of the 3-dimensional axes. Each articulated joint is a kinematic reduction coupling with first and second coupling elements which are fixed to first and second joint elements during rotation about corresponding axes and are movable between a position of mutual coupling for precision adjustments and a position of mutual disengagement for quick positioning. Problems with currently available devices include that they are expensive, heavy, cumbersome, and difficult to set-up properly; they are meant for the professional photographer and therefore demand some skill. Furthermore, they do not take advantage of the positional capabilities of tripod heads; but instead they add another layer of complexity.
In recent years, because of the increase in the availability of reasonably priced and easy to use digital cameras, many people all around the world have become interested in panoramic photography. Combining or “stitching” the photos has become quite easy because of reasonably priced computer software; but this software cannot compensate for parallax errors within the photos. However, the currently available models of panoramic heads which could be used to overcome the parallax errors do not appeal to amateur photographers because of cost, weight, and difficulty of use. What is needed is a device that addresses and solves each of these issues so that the amateur photographer can have a small, lightweight, easily carried, rugged, affordable, and easy to use piece of equipment that provides a way to acquire parallax-error-free panoramas.